Gambling Commission Supports OSR’s Review of the Gambling Survey for Great Britain

The Gambling Commission has welcomed the findings from the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) regarding the Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB). Both the public statement and comprehensive review praised the development and transparency of the survey while providing key recommendations to enhance its reliability and user engagement.

Ben Haden, Director of Research and Statistics at the Gambling Commission, expressed satisfaction with the OSR’s review: "We welcome the findings from OSR, both the public statement regarding casework they have received in relation to GSGB and their overall review of the GSGB. We are pleased they recognize the huge amount of work that the team has put into developing and delivering the largest survey of its kind in the world. We also welcome OSR’s recommendations for further action, which closely align with work that we already have underway."

GSGB: A Comprehensive Gambling Data Resource

The GSGB serves as the official source of gambling statistics in Great Britain. Following years of extensive development, the Gambling Commission requested an OSR review to ensure compliance with the Code of Practice for Statistics, supporting continuous improvement and independent assurance on quality and transparency.

The OSR emphasized that the absence of accredited official statistics status does not imply that the GSGB is of lower quality or reliability, despite some claims to the contrary. The decision to use GSGB data should be based on user needs rather than accreditation status.

Enhancing Communication and User Engagement

The Gambling Commission has already implemented several recommendations from the OSR’s report and will provide a full update in July. As part of its commitment to improvement, the Commission updated its GSGB user guidance in February 2025, offering clearer examples and dedicated contact channels for inquiries.

Additionally, the Commission has announced the formation of a GSGB Statistics User Group, with 70 stakeholders expressing interest in joining. This group will serve as a forum for dialogue, feedback, and shared learning.

Further improvements are underway, including an experimental research project launched in April 2025 to test specific aspects of the survey’s methodology. Findings from this study are expected in Summer 2025 and will contribute to the second GSGB annual report, scheduled for publication on October 2, 2025.

Key Recommendations Already Implemented

• Updated survey improvement plan with additional user information.
• New survey questions designed to validate GSGB findings against external data sources such as Gamstop and the Bingo Association.
• Enhanced accessibility and usability of GSGB outputs, with guidance links added to statistical releases on May 22, 2025.

Upcoming Actions Based on OSR’s Recommendations

• Comparisons with forthcoming datasets from the Health Survey for England and the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey, expected later in 2025.
• Publication of a communications strategy to improve how GSGB updates are shared.
• Further accessibility and usability improvements, informed by the GSGB Statistics User Group.

Commitment to Transparency and Collaboration

The Gambling Commission continues to engage with official statistics producers, including Ofcom, the Money and Pensions Service, and devolved government agencies, to refine user engagement frameworks and develop a formal user engagement strategy.

Additionally, a full log of stakeholder requests regarding the use of GSGB statistics has been published as part of the Commission’s transparency agenda and will be updated quarterly.